Assistance
by LunaRowena
Summary: Aloth abruptly pulled back from Talia. "This isn't what it looks like!" "This is exactly whit it looks lik'."


Pillars Prompts Weekly #0026: A character trying to match-make the Watcher with another, Kissing, Regrets

Sleep. Talia rubbed her eyes, yawning. She knew she should sleep but the dreams had been getting worse. If she could sleep at all. The Wood Elf ran a hand over her book. So she turned to books, naturally. Trying to read up on other instances of Watchers. As if being a Cipher hadn't been strange enough. But books on magic related to the soul were rare in this part of the Dyrwood these days. And with Defiance Bay under lock down, there was little chance of ordering anything new in. At least not while she still had time.

Rising, she closed the book and moved to the doorway. She was attempting to quietly replace the book on the bookshelf in the hallway when she heard voices. She twitched an ear.

"Well maybe I'm not interested in your opinion."

" _O_ _c_ _h_ _, I'm th_ _'_ _reason we're as far as we are, laddie._ "

Iselmyr. Aloth seemed to be having more and more outbursts these days. Not only in moments of danger. Iselmyr seemed perfectly content to randomly comment on other members of the party and leave Aloth to pick up the pieces. Edér thought it was hilarious. Talia could tell that beneath his cold poise, Aloth was hurting from the lack of control.

She hesitated for a moment before knocking on his door.

" _I've raised m_ _a_ _share_ _ay_ _ungrateful_ _bairns_."

"This is my life, you've already lived yours!" Their voices were becoming more raised.

"Aloth?" She pushed the door open.

He was pacing back and forth in front of the bed. Shirtless. She caught herself staring.

He noticed her and drew to a stop. "Talia?"

"Oh, um," she let her curls fall forward in an attempt to cover the blush she could feel spreading up her face. "Sorry, I heard you arguing and…"

"I'm sorry," he ran his hand over his forehead. "Didn't mean to make so much noise but _someone–_ "

" _Don't g_ _ae_ _blamin' this on me, y_ _e_ _started it._ _Bonnie_ _nightdress, lass._ "

"Don't start."

" _I'm only sayin' wh_ _i_ _t y_ _e_ _w_ _ar_ _thinkin'_."

"I was speaking to Aloth, thank you," Talia said, a stronger edge to her voice than she had anticipated.

Aloth let out a long breath as he sank down onto the bed. "I don't know how much more of this I can take, Talia. I'm afraid that… I'm losing myself."

"Don't you say that." She crossed the room and sat down next to him. "You've been incredibly strong, Aloth. We'll figure this out."

"'We.'" He gripped her hand. "Thank you. I don't deserve the kindness you have shown me."

She squeezed his hand back. "Everyone deserves kindness."

Without warning, he leaned over and kissed her gently. Surprised, she hesitated for a moment before leaning into the kiss. His thumb stroked her cheek and she let herself curl her fingers into his hair. He pulled back to look at her, before drawing back close to kiss her more strongly. She let her hand slide down onto his bare chest. They had been dancing around each other for a while. Her heartbeat began to quicken.

Kissing became more insistent and he pushed her down on the bed. She gave a small moan as he trailed a length of kisses down her neck. His hand found her knee and he began tracing circles up her leg under her nightdress.

"Aloth–" The rest of her inquiry was cut off as he breathed into the side of her neck, brushing her curls away with his nose and her brain started to melt. Something inside her spine seemed to drop through her and she closed her eyes. "Are you–" She let out a sharp breath as his hand found her inner thigh.

He chuckled. "Relax, lass."

Her eyes flew open. Iselmyr.

She wildly searched his face, looking for the man in the bright, blue eyes. "I want Aloth."

" _That's_ _obvious_ _,_ " he – Iselmyr – grinned.

She grabbed his shoulders, pushing him up. "Give me Aloth now!"

And suddenly he was back, gasping for breath, holding himself above her with his head hanging down. He scrambled back and she could see tears welling in his eyes. "Oh no. No." He shook his head as if trying to clear it, his breathing jagged. "Why do you always have to ruin everything?" he pleaded with the ceiling.

" _O_ _c_ _h, like y_ _e_ _were d_ _ae_ _ing such a_ _stoatin'_ _job_ ," came Iselmyr's retort.

"I had everything under control until you had to barge in!"

"Aloth," Talia pushed herself up and drew her legs in.

" _We_ _e_ _l she certainly seemed t_ _ae_ _be enjoyin' herself._ "

Aloth gave a pained glance at Talia before returning to looking at the ceiling. "Don't go there."

"Aloth," she reached out and grabbed his hand, "talk to me."

" _I went there_ _coz_ _y_ _e_ _wouldn't! Only pine after th'_ _lassie_ _, ne'er d_ _ae_ _anythin'!_ "

"Have you considered," he was shaking, "that there are aspects of my life where I greatly do not desire your 'assistance?'" he spat out. He gripped Talia's hand tightly, his knuckles turning white.

" _An' if y_ _e_ _had taken m_ _a_ _'assistance,' y_ _e_ _wouldn't be_ _gaun_ _back t_ _ae_ _y_ _er_ _separate rooms an' to_ _u_ _ching y_ _e_ _rsels while thinkin'_ _o'_ _t_ _h'_ _other. Wh_ _i_ _t a_ _shite_ _._ "

"Aloth," she squeezed his hand back, "look at me."

He met her gaze, eyes red. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"It wasn't exactly," she coughed, "unwelcome, but–"

"But not tonight." He reached out and caressed her cheek. "Not like this."

The door swung open and Edér stepped in. "Aloth, I can appreciate Iselmyr, but maybe not loudly in the middle of the– uh..." he trailed off as he caught sight of the two elves.

Aloth abruptly pulled back from Talia. "This isn't what it looks like!"

" _This is exactly wh_ _i_ _t it looks lik'._ "

"Would you go away?"

Talia stood up and smoothed down her nightdress. "Iselmyr is being particularly active tonight and I was trying to help Aloth calm down."

"Seems mighty calm in here, yep. I'm just going to, uh," Edér started backing out the door.

Talia turned to Aloth, "Are you going to be alright?"

He took a long breath in and out, trying to force composure. "We should go to bed." He forced a weak smile. "It's been a taxing day."

"Alright." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight," she whispered and followed Edér out of the room.

After she pulled the door closed behind her, Edér turned and spoke lowly, "Talia, I'm not sure it's safe for you to be alone with Aloth anymore. He's been more… unstable."

She smiled sadly as she stepped into her own room. "I'm more afraid that it's not safe for him to be alone with himself," and she closed the door with a click.


End file.
